Religion

“National Grandparents’ Day”

National Grandparents' Day was originated and founded by a woman named Marian McOvade, born 1917-2008. She was a housewife in Fayette County, West Virginia. Marian was first motivated to enlighten the lives of lonely, elderly people in nursing homes, and yes, many of them were and are grandparents to somebody. Also her hopes and dreams were to encourage grandchildren to seek the wisdom and heritage of their grandparents. So at that time the President of the United States, Jimmy Carter, proclaimed in 1978 that National Grandparents Day would be celebrated every year on the first Sunday after Labor Day.

This year it falls on Sunday, September 12, 2010. So celebrate with your grandparents by doing something with them such as: flowers, dinner, hugs and kisses, respect, a movie, a walk in the park, go to church with them, read to them, buy them a cup of coffee or tea or make them breakfast, take a picture together, hold their hand, think of something that would put a smile on their face. Listen to them!

This National Grandparents Day has been long overlooked. Yes, you have seen it on your calendar for years and years. Now let's have camera, lights and action.

Indecent Exposure

Also that the women should dress themselves modestly and decently in suitable clothing. (I Timothy 2:9, NRSV)

A woman shall not wear a man's apparel, nor shall a man put on a woman's garment; for whoever does such things is abhorrent to the LORD your God. (Deut 22:5, NRSV)

Throughout scripture, there are standards of how one should dress. Dress codes were in force for different occasions and for different professions. Dress codes were enforced for the priests of Israel as they served before the temple on behalf of the people. Similar to biblical clothing - there are dress standards within modern American culture such as for civil servants, fire-fighters and police officers, dental and hospital workers, restaurant workers and even delivery service folks like the Post Office and FedEx.

Last week, Dublin, Georgia became the latest city to ban sagging pants. The small Georgian town has joined the ranks of only a few other cities across America to ban this practice under its indecent exposure legislation. (Other cities include Delcambre and Mansfield, Louisiana.) The ban comes on the heels of a steady stream of complaints by the town's residents. According to the town's mayor, Phil Best, during a September 6th CNN interview, "It's time we all have a mutual respect for each other ... what a person does in the privacy of their home is fine . . . But if I had an 8-year-old daughter, I don't think she needs to be subjected to looking at someone's rear end."

Miss Ruthie Speaks . . .

. . . Responsibility Part IV

Responsibility as a mother:

For me, being a mother is a special gift from God. If you read the book, "Miss Ruthie," by my husband Joe, you would read that I lost my mother at the age of two. Included in my legacy is the loss of both grandmothers. My father's mother died when he was a baby and my mother's mother died when my mother was a baby. It's a blessing from God who has allowed me to have children, raise them, live to see them grown, and have children of their own – my grandchildren!

For almost every mother I know, motherhood causes a certain responsibility they did not have before their first baby came. The mothering instinct kicks in and there is this strong bond... even if she doesn't know everything to do, she can sense how to care for her baby. She knows she needs to watch over her baby, feed her baby, keep her baby clean and change her baby's diapers. Her level of protection is heightened, and as one of my sister-in-laws once stated, "To the point of killing" for her baby. Most mothers can relate to this.